The invention relates to multi-purpose mailers for sending a message to an addressee for which a response is desired via a reply envelope which is provided by the sender of the mailer.
A number of industries use mailers to bill customers or make other inquiries which are intended to elicit a response from the customers. Accordingly, these mailers provide structure for a transmittal envelope to send the mailer to customers. Additionally, the message to the customer is also provided in the mailer. If a reply from the customer is required, or if it is desirable to facilitate a reply, a reply envelope is provided in the mailer. A multi-purpose mailer serves all these purposes.
In general, multi-purpose mailers are produced using specialized equipment for folding and assembling the mailer, as well as for printing thereon. One type of mailer has a separate detached reply envelope provided within the sender's envelope along with the message to be received by the addressee. This type of mailer requires special machinery for stuffing the transmitted envelopes and printing the envelopes.
It is desirable to provide a low cost mailer which can be used efficiently by businesses. Multiple-piece mailers increase cost and complexity as compared to a single integrated mailer. A small business does not have the facilities to manufacture its own mailers. Therefore, in order for a small business to produce a mailer having personalized messages with variable indicia, it is necessary that separate inserts be prepared and multiple-part mailers be used despite their disadvantages.
Another type of multi-purpose mailer which attempts to minimize the complexity by reducing the number of pieces is constructed from a single sheet or "web." On one side of the single sheet the addressee's address and sender's return address are provided so when folded the single sheet acts as the transmittal envelope. Printed indicia, both fixed and/or variable, is provided on the opposite side of the sheet or in a separate enclosure. The reply mechanism consists of a folded and sealed portion of the single sheet or a separate envelope attached to the single sheet on the other side from the transmittal envelope side. These types of mailers require either special mechanisms for folding the reply envelope for a single sheet mailer or for attaching the reply mechanism to a single sheet mailer.
Typical mailers are not well suited for printing variable indicia thereon with a conventional laser printer. The single sheet type mailer is usually larger than that used by a conventional printer and is often an irregular shape to accommodate the mailer reply portion. If the reply envelope is attached to a single sheet or the mailer is prefolded, the resultant mailer is of a non-standard or a non-uniform thickness that a conventional laser printer will be unable to print variable indicia thereon.